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Bridge state/height
posted in forum Gear by thomasfloss on 30. January 2012 at 20:00
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Recommended gear for the MK style
posted in forum Gear by Ingo on 29. January 2012 at 16:41
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Welche Gitarre und Amp fuer Anfaenger und Knopfler-Sound?
posted in forum Deutsches Forum - German forum by markus on 26. December 2011 at 18:38
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Gitarre & Amp mit Knopfler-Sound für Anfänger
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St. Mark's DSP Effects Pickups Debuted At The Musikmesse Frankfurt Show
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Rasgueado and other flamenco techniques in Sultans of Swing
Posted in: MK guitar style and licks by Ingo on February 02, 2010
Sultans of Swing from Dire Straits’ first album is surely one of THE songs that comes to mind when talking about fingerstyle guitar playing. In addition to Mark Knopfler’s unique playing style it also features some striking Spanish-sounding elements, starting from the chord progression itself to some flamenco-like strumming techniques – which is this blog article, or rather the embedded video, is about.
The typical flamenco stroke is called Rasgueado (the Spanish word for strumming) – a particular “roll” of your right hand fingers. I am really no master of the true flamenco style but I realized many years ago that Knopfler plays something like this in numerous songs, and practised something that sounds similar – my version of the Rasgueado. I can do it in two different ways: pinky first to index finger, or vice versa. Both sound different but I am not completetly sure which one Knopfler makes use of (possibly both).
The video explains how I play it. I think the idea becomes clear. So, enjoy!
PS: The rasgueado sounds great with distorted power chords, too. Give it a try!
"Buy me a beer" - donate for the site via PayPal. Or buy a backing track in my online shop :)
One word comes to mind: AWESOME! Thank you very much for that video, great insight on Knopflers technique, if possible please more of this
Again thank you very much!
Comment by Philipp — 3. February 2010 @ 18:27
When the time-bell rings!!!
Comment by Alun — 3. February 2010 @ 20:39
Hi Ingo! Sorry for the change of subject: would it be possible an explanation of Praire Wedding main riff? Please. Thank you.
Comment by luka — 9. February 2010 @ 09:31
Hey Ingo,
Absoutely love this song. My mum got me into Dire Straights, was one of the first records she played me.
This is a really good tutorial mate, i didn’t know it’d be so easy to play the song.
Cheers mate,
Anthony.
Comment by Anthony - Musical Gear Australia — 11. February 2010 @ 08:00
Ingo,
Fantastic playing; your attention to detail is amazing. Could you tell me about the guitar you are playing in this video?
Thanks,
Scott
Comment by Scott — 14. March 2010 @ 14:55
Hi Ingo, performing Sultans of Swing I always played the rasgueado technique exactly as you explained on your video. Nevertheless I always felt that something was wrong with it, because I’ve never heard the same sound that MK produces coming from my strings. Same feeling affects your execution. So far I wondered why but I might have the answer now that I saw a video from the last tour (Pantages Theatre, 17th april 2010). You can easily found it on youtube. The big screen behind the band shows the images coming from the small camera on MK’s guitar palette, during the final bits of SoS. Check from 7:09. He’s not using his nails downward! He’s using his fingertips upwards, then he couples the stroke downward with the thumb. It’s a different kind of rasgueado technique I think, sort of a customization. I tried to play that way, well I think that’s the key! It sounds exactly as MK plays it, even if I’m not totally confident with this technique yet
What do you think?
Cheers
Comment by Alessandro — 2. May 2010 @ 20:28
Hi Allessandro, you are right indeed, very interesting, something to practice
That cam on the guitar is cool, would love to see the video stream it records appearing somewhere some day
Comment by Ingo — 3. May 2010 @ 18:40
Hi !
I have two questions
For 1, have YOu done whole sultans of swing video ? if yes, can You send me the adress and for second, can YOu send me tabs for SoS ? I’ve been lookin’ everywhere but nothing found, which was better than You. so please send me those tabs
Comment by :) — 10. December 2010 @ 22:17
There is another one on Sultans, just browse my youtube channel. I don’t have any tabs, sorry, I never use them.
Comment by Ingo — 11. December 2010 @ 10:40
I’ve seen You Sultans on YT, but i very need tabs. I can’t play by ear (i’m not too good). Don’t You want to write tabs only for first solo ? Please ?
Comment by :) — 11. December 2010 @ 21:19
oh, and for Eastbound train, only riff
on Your’s video it isn’t shown very good, i can’t see from this how to play it.
Comment by :) — 11. December 2010 @ 21:21
i’ll buy You 50 beers, but please Mate, send me those tabs
Comment by :) — 13. December 2010 @ 21:21
Mr. Ingo, please, answer me
Comment by :) — 20. December 2010 @ 23:06
Hi
,
as said I don’t have any tabs, I’d need to write down what I played. Please use the contact form of this site (in the top menu) and let me know what exactly you’d like to have tabbed (e.g. from 2:20 – 2.30 etc), maybe we can find a solution
Ingo
Comment by Ingo — 21. December 2010 @ 09:45